Hi and welcome to SGA! We are really excited that you are interested in starting an SGA club. Let's start with a few CU club basics. Columbia University has 6 governing boards, which recognize different types of clubs. SGA only recognizes clubs that are performance groups, pre-professional or academic, cultural, or special interest. If your club does not fit into one of these categories or you are not sure, please contact me, the SGA Vice-President for Student Activities (VPSA) at sga@barnard.edu and I will direct you to the appropriate governing board. Also, we will not recognize your group if you are similar to another group that already exists within SGA. Here are the steps to take if you do fit into one of our categories:
Find at least 20 members for your club. If your group is already recognized by the Activities Board at Columbia (ABC) and you are looking to be dually recognized, 1/3 of the members must be Barnard students. If your organization is only seeking SGA recognition, at least 1/2 of the members must be Barnard students. In either case, 2 executive board members must be Barnard students.
In order to ensure sustainability, we ask that, prior to applying for recognition, groups have in place an executive board of several committed members (preferably of varying ages) as well as a solid and active general body that has already come together at least once. While in previous years these were merely suggested and encouraged, we now insist upon an increased level of cohesion before a group comes to be recognized. This raising of the bar is partially motivated by SGA's limited resources requiring a more selective recognition process, but is primarily meant to cultivate stronger clubs--when a more concrete and stable infrastructure is created early on it is only to the benefit of the group.
Create a membership list, complete with contact information (name, email and extension). Each member will be contacted by SGA to verify their membership.
Create a constitution with the mission, a list of officers, a description of their duties and procedures for their election.
Create a petition and gather the signatures of 50 students not affiliated with the organization who support its recognition.
Attach the membership list, constitution and petition and e-mail or leave it in the VPSA's box in the SGA Office, 239 Brooks.
This information must be received by the VPSA by the Wednesday before the first Sunday of the month (see dates below). You will be invited to present your club to the Student Organization Committee (SOC), which meets the first Sunday of every month.
The next day, Representative Council will vote whether or not to recognize your club. If you are not recognized, it may be that we decide to refer you to another governing board or possibly an office on campus.
NEW BEGINNING 2006-2007: If recognized, the group will be recognized as a "Stage 1" organization. If recognized in the fall, Stage 1 lasts until March, and if recognized in the spring semester, Stage 1 lasts until September. The group is granted space reservation privileges, a CAO advisor, an account and therefore the ability to raise funds as well as receive co-sponsorship, and above all, the legitimacy of SGA recognition. After existing in Stage 1 for approximately a semester, the organization must submit an SGA-created status evaluation. The Student Organization Committee will assess the status report and recommend to Representative Council that they be moved into Stage 2, or Full, recognition or continue to exist in Stage 1, or be deactivated. Stage 2 will include all above-mentioned privileges, but will also include an allocation.
Thank you for your interest in SGA's clubs! Please feel free to contact me with any questions!
Sincerely,
Christina Chang
Vice-President for Student Activities
cc2401@barnard.edu
Club Recognition Dates and Deadlines FOR 2007-2008
(Club recognition will end on Sunday, March 2, 2008)
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
Wednesday, September 26th
Wednesday, October 24th
Wednesday, November 28th
Wednesday, January 30th
Wednesday, February 27th
PRESENTATION TO S.O.C.
Sunday, September 30th
Sunday, October 28th
Sunday, December 2nd
Sunday, February 3rd
Sunday, March 2nd
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